Love Like Crazy
by ILUVGREYS-101
Summary: Set somewhere beetween the "Demming Era" and and laternate ending to the season finale. A case like Kate's mother's shows up and Kate and Castle are forced to catch the killer but can Kate survive the fallout and will Demming stay in the game or backout?
1. Chapter 1

Castle

A/N- So I know this is a little late and I should have written it before but the ideas just hit me now! This is set somewhere in between when Demming came and left and Castle does not or at least yet gone to the Hamptons.

Kate Beckett walked into the precinct, happy. She had finally found happiness, Tom was amazing. She was happy, or at least she thought. She was looking over case notes when Castle walked in.

"Good Morning Beckett" he said handing her, her usual coffee. She pushed it away.

"Demming already brought me some Castle, thanks though." She smiled just as Tom appeared.

"Good Morning Kate, Castle" he acknowledged.

"Demming, what brings you to our neck of the woods?" he asked, what the hell right did he have coming up here.

"Just came for a chat with Kate." He smirked, he wanted to let Castle know that this was _his_ Kate.

"I see, well then." He said smiling and slowly putting his arm around Beckett's shoulder.

"Castle, you have five seconds to remover you limb from my shoulder before I remove it for you." She said. Demming smiled and kissed Kate's cheek after Castle removed his hand.

"Gotta go, we have a big case open downstairs." He said walking off. Kate's phone rang and minutes later she spoke.

"We've got a murder." She declared, maybe his day wouldn't be so bad after all.

"Tom" she yelled out just as he was about to get on the elevator. "They think it's a robbery, want to lend a hand?" she asked smiling.

Damn. His day just got a hell of a lot worse.


	2. Chapter 2

Castle

A/N- PLEASE READ THIS! So a question that occurred was if Beckett and Demming are together? YES they are. This story is set in between when Demming came and Castle left for the Hamptons!

When they arrived at the crime scene, Kate discovered that although summer was on it's way it was still quite chilly. Her teeth started to chatter and her lips turned blue.

"Jeez, it's freezing." She stated as her and Castle were walking up to the body. Demming said he would follow but only because his Captain ordered him to take his partner with him.

Castle smiled, one way to get Demming would be to offer Kate his coat. He smiled and began to take off his coat. "Here" he handed it to her but she pushed it away.

"Castle, aren't you cold? Beside's if I get too cold I will go get mine from the car." She replied but he insisted.

"Becks, your lips are blue. Take my coat." He said before wrapping her in it and forcing her arms in it. She smiled and thanked him. She loved the sweet caring side of Castle. Wait. What was she thinking. She can't be thinking about Castle. She's with Demming. She saw him getting out of his car with his partner. She flashed him a fake smile and started to speak to Lanie.

"Kate, I tried to.." Kate's brain stopped functioning at that moment. She saw Castle gasp and saw the look of question in Tom's eyes. She felt tears begin to form and quickly wiped her eyes. I was a case, just like her mother's, exact same stab pattern, exact same wounds.

"Ryan, Esposito. Can you handle this?" she asked, she couldn't do this. She had to get away. She had to go someplace, someplace where she could let go. God, she couldn't be here. They nodded in agreement and said they would bring back the details and start a murder board in a bit.

"Castle, let's go" she called, she couldn't get to the car fast enough. She started running, faster and faster. She heard Tom call out her name, but she couldn't stop, she had to keep going. She reached the car and fumbled with her keys, then she felt a hand take them away from her. She looked back to see Castle.

"I'm driving" he stated, she shook her head as to protest but he was faster. "No, you're upset, which is understandable but you're in no shape to drive." He said pulling her into the passengers seat.

When they arrived back at the precinct Kate put her things down and stated she was going to the roof to think and she's be back in a half and hour. Five minutes later Tom arrived, he looked around to see where Kate was but he couldn't find her. He looked at Castle who said "She's on the roof, thinking. She doesn't like to be bothered when she's thinking." He needed to go away, stupid Demming. What right did he have?

"Yeah, well I don't think she will mind considering _I AM HER Boyfriend."_ He stated.

"You might be her boyfriend but let me tell you one thing you have no idea why she's up there or what she went through at that crime scene today. You couldn't even begin to guess because what that woman has gone through is probably the hardest thing any cop or person has ever had to do. So if you think your going up there while she's trying to pull her self together, so that she can do her job and do it well than you have another thing coming." He argued. Tom just looked at him in complete and utter shock.

"I'll be downstairs, if Kate asks when she gets back." He murmured and then disappeared.

A half an hour later as Beckett promised, she returned, eyes puffy and red from crying and her hair pulled up into a loose pony tail.

"Beckett, can I talk to you?" Montgomery asked from his office door.

"Sir" she answered walking into his office. 'What can I do for you?" she asked, her oice not coming out as stern and demanding as it usually is.

"Kate, I know this is hard on you and I wish I could kill this jackass with my bare hands, who ever it is, is taunting you. I have to ask you. Can you and Castle do this?" he asked

"I have to, sir" she said straightening her body and standing tall. "For my mother." She smiled, he nodded and she walked out. Castle was waiting by the door.

"Well Castle, don't just stand there, we have a case to solve." She smiled and she and him started to create what would be a very long murder board, she just didn't know it yet.


	3. Chapter 3

Castle

Two and a half hours into there investigation, Beckett's stomach rumbled. Tom had been by and they had a short chat that he overheard before agreeing to meet for dinner about now. Castle looked at the clock, Tom wasn't on time. Ha he thought, can't even be punctual. Damn Demming. A few short second later the elevator bell dinged and Castle looked over at the elevator to what he hoped would not be Demming but what in fact was.

"Sorry I'm late" he said kissing her cheek. "I got caught up in an investigation downstairs. How's this one coming? Anything I can do?" he asked

"No, I don't think so." She said grabbing her coat, or what she thought to be her coat but really it was Castle's, she put it on without even realizing.

"Kate, I don't think that's your coat." Tom said raising his eyebrow questionably.

"Oh, yeah. Castle, thanks for letting me borrow your coat." She handed it back to him. "Were going to grab a bite for dinner and then I'm going to come back. You wanna come?" she asked

He shook his head "Nah, I promised Alexis I would help her study for her finals. I'll meet you back here in a hour or so." He promised.

"Castle, you really…" she was cut off.

"I want to" he smiled before grabbing his coat and heading toward the elevator. She waved bye and started to the elevator with Tom.

At Remy's where Kate insisted that they go because she said it was close to the precinct and it Ryan or Esposito found any leads she could be there in a flash.

"So Kate, Castle mentioned something about this case being personal. Do you mind if I ask how?" he asked casually. Trying not to shut her down.

"My mother was murdered when I was sixteen. This case is just like hers, it has the same stabbing pattern, same wounds, everything. I thought I shot the only person who could ever help me find my mother's killer last year. Castle looked through her file and had one of his buddies analyze the wounds and when we found a victim just like her, he helped me find the killer for both this victim and my mother's but before he told me who ordered the hit on my mother, I shot him because he had Castle at gun point." She said

She didn't tell him how Castle was going to leave after that and she asked him to stay. She didn't tell him how he brought her several different kinds of food to make up for it and she didn't tell him how much that meant to her.

"So what's for dinner?" she asked, Tom couldn't help but feel a little left out. She and Castle had a history and he couldn't help but feel that she was keeping a part of it from him.

He shook it off and just as they were about to order Castle cam bursting through the door. "Becks, we've got a lead" he said smiling.


	4. Chapter 4

Castle

She grabbed her jacket and slid out of her both with Tom before he could even blink. She kissed him lightly on the lips and ran out the door muttering a 'bye' and 'I'll call you later' before hurrying off across the street with Castle. He was happy they found a lead, especially because this was very important to Kate but he couldn't help but wish it was him helping her find her mother's killer rather than Castle.

"So Castle, what's our lead?" she asked

"Well I forgot my phone so when I came back up to get it I checked with Ryan and Esposito and they found a thumbprint on the victim. Lanie's waiting for us now. I called Alexis and she said she had studied enough and was going to bed early" He said pulling her into the passenger's seat but she got out before he could shut the door.

"Just because you got to drive once doesn't mean you get to drive all the time." She flashed him a smile and started the engine. Demming watched from across the street and he couldn't help but with Kate would smile like that when he was around.

At the morgue, Lanie was ready and waiting by the door. She knew how much this case meant to Kate and she would be damned if they didn't solve it this time.

"What do you have Lanie?" she asked

"Well I found a single finger print on her right carotid artery. I ran it through the system and it's registered to a George Paladino." She said, Kate smiled, thanked her and pulled Castle away from the very large contraption he was currently playing with.

On the drive back to the precinct Castle toyed with the idea of asking Kate if her and Tom were a actual couple. Maybe he was prying, no he was her friend right? He decided that the worst she could do was shoot him.

"So Becks, are you and Demming you know…." He gestured with his hands.

"Yeah, Castle." She replied, she wanted to be with Demming so why did it hurt so much to say she was with Tom. She looked over at Castle playing on his iphone. She smiled, he was like a teenage girl with his phone attached to his hip. He was ruggedly handsome, wait. What was she talking about, she is with Demming. She could not be having thoughts about Castle. Drop it Kate.

When they arrived back at the precinct Kate told Ryan and Esposito to go pick up there suspect. She was finishing up some paperwork when her stomach grumbled reminding her that she never had dinner. She thought back to her date with Demming, he was a great guy really but she couldn't get Castle off her brain. No Kate, Demming is a good guy, he's the one for you. Stop it.

"Becks, how about some dinner?" Castle asked

"Castle, they boys are bringing in a suspect right now, we can't just leave." She replied trying hard not to stare at him to long. She couldn't figure out why every time she did that she got this weird feeling in her stomach.

"Alright, how about take out. I'll got get us a burger and shake from Remy's and bring it back." He suggested. She smiled, it was nice that he cared so much about her. She had received a text from Demming earlier saying he was going home and would stop by tomorrow to see how the investigation was going. Why hadn't he stayed with her? How come Castle was always the one comforting her? He was always there. Why wasn't Tom. Kate couldn't help but think where was Tom when she needed someone to go get her Remy's take out?

When Castle returned he laid out their food in the break room, found nice napkins and plates to use and some plastic silverware and set the table. Kate walked in and smiled. She looked at all Castle had done for her.

"Castle, you didn't have to do all this." She smiled as he pulled out her chair for him.

"Becks, you mean a lot to me and I know how hard this case is on you. You have to keep up your energy if we're going to catch this son of a bitch." He smiled and took a bit of his hamburger. She dipped a fry into her ketchup and it crunched in her mouth. He laughed just as the boys walked in.

"We got him" she smiled, she dumped what was left of her fries in the trashcan and took the last bit of her hamburger before sitting her milkshake on her desk and yelling for Castle to come on.

"Mr. Paladino, I'm Detective Beckett and this is Rick Castle. We'd like to ask you a few questions." She said

"Fire away" he replied solemnly

"Do you know her?" she asked showing him the photo of their most recent victim.

"No why?" he asked

"She's dead" she said knowing he was lying.

"It's shame." He replied

"Mr. Paladino, why don't you explain why we found your thumbprints on her neck artery?" Castle asked

"I don't know" he replied, Kate stood up and slammed her chair back into the table.

"Mr. Paladino, you don't help me and your looking at attempted murder charges. What's that going for now in prison now?" She looked at Castle.

"25 to life" he replied, the man was starting to sweat.

"Well Castle, guess were done here. Let me call the D.A and then how about a cup of coffee?" she asked him. He knew what she was doing he had watched her to it may times before.

"Sounds great" he said, getting up to walk out.

"Eric Ainsworth, that's you guy. The one who put the hit out on your mommy, killed the others too. He's your guy." He shouted before Kate and Castle could get out the door.

She walked back in as did Castle. "Why were your fingerprints on her neck?" she asked

"I am his partner. I am just a beginner. He left me there to place the body for you but I got scared and checked to see of she was dead. When she was, I ran." He said.

She smiled at Castle and walked out with him on her heels and Demming walked up.

"Hey babe" Castle about choked at the comment.

"I'm sorry I can't talk right now. We have a good lead." She said pulling Castle over to the boys. She explained it to them got an address and grabbed her jacket and gun. She kissed Demming on the cheek and got on the elevator with Castle and the boys.

She hollered a goodbye before the doors closed. She smiled. She was going to catch her mother's killer.


	5. Chapter 5

Castle

Demming watched as Kate got on the elevator with Castle. He ran his fingers through his hair, he knew he should have stayed with her tonight but he came back. He came back to be with her. He had made up his mind, Castle was not going to steal her from him. He was going to do something about it. He was going to help Kate find her killer. While Demming was talking to Captain Montgomery to try to find the address where Kate was going, Kate and Castle had just arrived at the scene. She saw Ryan and Esposito pull up but not get out. She walked over to their car and Esposito rolled his window down.

"Yo, Ryan thinks he's got appendicitis. I need to get him to the hospital ASAP." He said

"Alright go" she shooed them off.

"Beckett, do not go in there without back-up" he warned, he looked at Castle giving him the eye that said 'do not let her go in there alone' and he nodded.

"I won't, now get your ass to the hospital." She ordered, she should have known better. Ryan had been holing his side all day. She got on her radio and called for back-up. While she and Castle waited for what they knew would be about a half an hour due to traffic even with the sirens, she looked over to him and he smiled. She checked her phone to see several different messages from Demming, Castle looked at Kate, he glanced over and saw the messages. He guessed there was no better time to have the conversation he was dreading.

"So Becks, I've been thinking and you know, I know your tired of me following you around and I think I should probably get a good head start on the next Nikki Heat novel, So I was thinking about taking a break, going to the Hamptons for a while." He saw the sudden drop in her face and it made him question his decision but when she got another text from Demming he knew he was doing the right thing.

"Oh" was all she replied, he was leaving, actually leaving,she was about to say something else until she heard a gunshot go off. She drew her gun and looked at Castle. She walked towards her car again and grabbed her spare gun from the car, she loaded it.

"Becks, what are you doing?" he asked following her.

"I am going in." she replied

"Oh no, not without back-up. Beck's please don't do this." He begged her. She continued walking. "Please don't go without back-up." He said. She still continued walking.

"Fine, I'm going with you." He said walking behind her but it was then she stopped.

"No, absolutely not. Castle, it's too dangerous." She said shaking her head.

"Becks, either I go with you or neither of us go." He said sternly. "Please Beck's, trust me. I can do this. If you want to go in now, let me go with you." He begged, he saw the question in her eyes. "Trust me Kate" he used her first name, she liked that. "Do you trust me?" he asked cupping her face, and it was then she knew this wasn't just about the case it was much more.

"Yes" she whispered, and then she heard another gun shot go off. She pulled out her gun and handed Castle her spare.

She smiled "If your going in, you need to be armed." She said. "You're my only back-up, so stay behind me and let me go first. If I attack a suspect you wait and and if I'm going down back me up." She ordered.

She walked up to the apartment, holding her gun steady. She saw the door was closed. She looked at Castle.

"Someone's got to break the door." She whispered. He looked at her and raised his eyebrow. "Oh yeah Castle, I can really break down a door in these heels." She held up her foot indicating her heel. He smiled and held his gun up, veered back and kicked the door down. She searched the room, until she found the one with the door ajar. She pointed toward the wall indicating for Castle to move beside the door. She tapped the door and then heard a voice.

"Die, Die you bitch." She heard someone screamed. She looked at Castle and nodded her head indicating that she was going in.

"NYPD put you hands up!" She yelled, he just laughed but she didn't even realize he had a gun pointing toward her.

"Drop it NOW" she yelled

"Well damn, you thought they would have sent someone else besides you. I mean you have personal relations to this case right. It was me, I ordered the hit on your mommy." He smiled, she felt the tears begin to rise in her eyes. She pulled herself together.

"Just me, now drop it!" she yelled.

"Now Katie, why would I want to do that?" He asked, she walked closer to him but he grabbed her gun and threw it. She felt him pull her against the wall. She tried to scream but he put his hand over her mouth. She prayed for Castle, she needed Castle, god, she wanted him. He listened outside, he knew if he went in too early he could blow his cover and then he would be no use. It got quiet, that was not good.

"I killed your mommy, and now I'm going to kill you." He said throwing her to the ground. That was all it took, Castle spun around the corner. He saw Kate on the ground with a gun pointed to her head, The guy spun around.

One Shot went off.


	6. Chapter 6

Castle

One shot went off.

She saw blood and it was as if everything was in a daze. She saw the girl he was beating lying there unconscious and then she saw Castle come in, holding his gun steady and then she heard a shot.

"Castle" she screamed. She looked down, it wasn't him, he hadn't got shot. He had shot their suspect, her mother's killer but only in the leg. Her mother's killer wasn't dead. It was all registering through her head. She could see her suspect raising her gun again. She jumped on him tackling and grabbing his gun. She saw Castle smiling and she smiled back. She cuffed the man and left him lying there. She ran to the beaten girl.

"Castle, call the paramedics, she's still got a pulse." She called out

"I called, there on there way." He said

Kate started chest compressions. "Castle, blow into her mouth every fifth compression." She ordered. She heard the sirens and prayed to god that this girl would hang on long enough. She heard Montgomery and Lanie and the paramedics and then she heard Demming. Damn.

"Beckett, is this your suspect?" Montgomery asked

"Yeah he's got a GSW to the right leg." She said handing over the girl to the paramedics. She and Castle walked over to Montgomery, who was watching the other paramedics get her suspect on the ambulance.

"You shot him?"

"No sir, Castle did" she said hanging her head.

"Way to go Castle." He said patting him on the shoulder.

"Beckett, we will need to sit down, get all the paperwork in tow but it seems as if nothing was done wrong. You can interrogate him in the morning." He patted her on the shoulder.

Demming ran over. "Kate baby, are you okay?" he asked pulling her into his arms.

"Yeah, I'm fine. I need to get back to the precinct." She said pulling herself out of his arms. She saw the look in Castle's eyes when Tom walked over, she couldn't help but wonder what it meant. Then she remembered, he was leaving.

"Castle, you coming?" she asked

"Yeah, I'm going to grab my things and then get out of here." He said hanging his head.

"I think I'm going to go check on Ryan after I get cleaned up. You want to ride with me to the precinct and let me get cleaned up and the go see Ryan and say bye before you leave." She said, god it hurt too much to do this, she had to let him go. It was his choice.

"Yeah, great" he said.

When they got back to the precinct, Kate went to take a shower and Castle went to pack his things. He wished he didn't have to do this, he didn't know if he could. He continued packing, he had to be strong. He saw Kate come out, cleaned, he wet hair flowing loosely over her shoulders. Then he saw Demming, he walked up and put his arms around her waist. He kissed her forehead.

"Do you want to try dinner again tonight?" he asked

"I can't, Castle and I are going to see Ryan in the hospital. They left the scene early, that's why Castle and I went in alone because Esposito needed to take him to the hospital." She explained.

"Of course, it's always you and Castle." He mumbled

"What?" she said defensivly.

"Oh come on Kate, don't Bullshit me. You and Castle have this secret relationship that no one can get in the way of. You're always with him and now you're running off to the hospital with him instead of having dinner with your boyfriend." He said raising her voice. Castle watched from around corner.

"He's leaving Tom, okay, HE IS LEAVING! Do you not understand that? So, yes I am going to the hospital, to check on Ryan and say goodbye to the man that was there for me today. He saved my ass Demming. Where were you? Where were you when I needed you?" she asked.

"Look I made a mistake, I should have went with you but I was coming. You could have waited for me. I texted you and told you I was coming. NUMEROUS times! You could have waited." He said

"I could have but someone's life was at stake and Castle was there. Tom he was there!" she yelled. "And now he's leaving and damned if I'm not going to say bye. He's leaving Tom, he's leaving." She whispered.

"Is that really a bad thing Kate?" he asked.

"Tom, I can't believe you just said that." She said walking out. Her cell phone rang and she answered it. " Beckett" she barked.

"Hi, Detective Beckett, this is Carolyn form Mercy Hospital, I was treating a witness of yours. The paramedics that brought her in said you were the detective who performed CPR before the EMT's arrived?" she questioned.

"Yes" she answered

"I am sorry to inform you that she died, we used all of our life saving measures but we weren't able to save her. The EMT's wanted me to inform you." She said

"Thanks" she replied, She felt the tears begin to come in her eyes. She punched the elevator button, it wasn't coming. She punched it harder and harder. She saw Castle watching from behind and Tom running his hands through his hair. The elevator finally came, she arrived at the bottom floor and ran out the door. She breathed, she looked up at the sky to see it was going to rain. She slid down the side of the building and ran her hands through her hair. Meanwhile Castle looked at Demming, he snarled. Tom walked toward the elevator but Castle stopped him.

"You've done enough for one day, don't you think?" Castle said walking toward the elevator.

She felt the rain seep through her clothes but she didn't care. She thought about everything that had happened in the past few days and couldn't bare herself to go back into the precinct.

"You okay Becks?"

"Castle" she looked up to see him. His hair was wet and sticking to his face and you could see through his white shirt.

"Did you think it was Demming because considering what just happened I doubt he's real happy with you right now." He said sitting beside her, not caring that he was getting soaked.

"I should have done more." She said standing up, she started pacing the room.

"What are you talking about?" he asked

"I could have done something sooner, I could have gone to her first." She said, tears streaming down her face.

"Becks, talk to me." He said

"If it was my mother I would have done more." She said

He grabbed her shoulders "Kate, look at me" he said sternly. She raised her head to look in his eyes. "What are you talking about?"

"The girl, at the crime scene. She's dead. If it was my mother I would have done more." She said, her tears falling harder.

He released her shoulders and pulled her chin up. "Becks, it wasn't your mother ok? You did everything you could." He said.

"She was only thirty four years old. She was someone's wife, someone's mother, someone's child." She said. He pulled her into his arm's and for the first time Kate Beckett, strong, beautiful, savvy, extraordinary Detective broke down and let the man who saved her life hold her.

"Shh, it's okay" he said sitting down and pulling her with her. They were both soaked by now.

After about a half an hour, her tears dried up and she pulled from his embrace but not off his lap.

"I'm sorry Castle, this case has just been really hard." She looked over and saw his hair wet and sticking to his face. She smiled. She looked up, big mistake. There was Demming.

"Kate" he looked at her in disbelief.

"Tom, please." She said standing up. He walked off.

"No Kate, I have watched you with him and I kept telling myself it was nothing, that you two were just really good friends but this, this is not friendship, this is something more. You have to choose, me or him?" he asked

She looked at Castle who was standing there, he had his big Castle eyes on, the one's where on a really tough case he would use to help her pull through and go on one of his crazy theories. She looked back at Tom, she knew he decision. She had to do it.

"Him" she said, Castle's eyes popped up.

"What?" he asked in disbelief.

"You heard me. Him." She smiled.

"Wow Kate, I would have expected more." He said

"Look, I don't want any hard feelings. I'm sorry it had to end this way it's just.." she was cut off.

"I'm not him" he finished. He walked over and kissed her on the cheek. "Have a nice life Kate." He said. She smiled and then looked back at Castle. He raised his eyebrow.

"The heart wants what the heart wants." She smiled and he walked over. He pulled her in and tucked a stranded hair behind her ear. Then he did what he had been dying to do since Demming came along, even before that. He kissed her and it felt like the whole world stopped because she kissed back.

He pulled away and looked at her, cupping her face he repeated the sentence he had said to her weeks before. "The heart wants what the heart wants."


End file.
